SunoShiro
by Mii-chan1
Summary: Based loosely on Snow White. Kaoru's father dies and she must escape her stepmother to the safely of Kenshin's home. The trip leaves her with a mysterious injury which only her true love can heal.
1. Chapter 1

Suno-Shiro Part I

Raven hair fell over Kamiya Kaoru's shoulders as her head dipped forward. Jerking back, the young woman woke her foggy mind. She couldn't sleep until she got news of her father, the King. He was leading troops in battle and was to return home this night. There were, however, conflicting reports of his well being. The nineteen-year-old woman promised she would remain awake until she heard the correct news or the King returned.

Again, Kaoru snapped awake, willing her eyes to remain open. Just as they were closing once more, a servant burst into the room. The young maid was breathing heavily from dashing up many flights of stairs and running through the maze of hallways that lead to the Princess' chambers.

"Highness!" the maid breathed, bowing at the waist. "Come quickly!" Kaoru complied, rising from the plush chair she occupied. The main turned to return the way she came when the Princess stopped her.

"You need to rest." Kaoru stated. "Where must I go?"

"To His Majesty's chambers." Kaoru nodded in reply before walking quickly from the room, her long kimono preventing her from moving any faster. It took ten minutes for Kaoru to reach her father's chambers. As she pushed the doors open, the scene which met her eyes was her worst nightmare.

All the servants in the room looked grim; none would look up from the floor. Several high-ranking generals also stood scattered around the King's living room. Seta Sōjirō was the only man willing to meet her gaze. The smile frozen on his face faltered at the question evident in the Princess' eyes.

"Not yet," he shook his head; he didn't want her to have to speak the question. Kaoru only nodded at him before turning to the doors that led to the King's sleeping chamber. Taking a deep breath, she turned the knob and pushed open the door. Several other warlords stood around her father's bed; all had the same look on their faces as the servants. Kaoru's step-mother, however, was nowhere in sight. Upon seeing Kaoru, the men bowed and quickly left the room.

"Father…" Kaoru knelt beside the bed. The King turned his head and opened his eyes.

"My daughter…" he rasped out. Tears formed in Kaoru's eyes at the sight of him. He skin was pale, his breathing labored. The King's hand shook as he reached over to take hers.

"Father, please--"

"Kaoru-chan…you must listen to me." He gave her hand a weak squeeze. She nodded, gripping his hand tighter. "I will not survive this night." Kaoru let out a squeak at his words but said nothing. "When I die, you are no longer safe from your step-mother. Do you remember Himura Kenshin?" Her heart fluttered at the mention of the redhead's name.

"Yes, but--"

"Good," the King interrupted. "With him, you will be safe. He lives deep in the forest, but you must get to him. He will understand when he sees you." By now, the King was barely able to whisper.

"Yes, Father." Kaoru pressed her face into her father's hand, tears leaking from her eyes. "I love you, Father."

"I love you, too…" he was fading now. "…My Kaoru-chan…" His eyes rolled back as he exhaled for the last time, his hand falling limp.

"Good-bye, Father," Kaoru whispered, setting his hand gently next to his side. She quickly left the room, rushing past the generals. Pausing only to nod at Sōjirō, she walked briskly back to her room.

_This won't do._ Kaoru thought as she glimpsed her elegant kimono as she passed a mirror. After rummaging through her drawers, she found an old gi and hakama. Kaoru faintly remembered getting them from Kenshin. She slipped out of her kimono as she tried to plan was she would have to bring with her. Donning the more comfortable outfit, she decided on a plain kimono and a sleeping yukata; she couldn't bring much if she wanted to get away quickly.

Kaoru called in a maid before she gathered the articles of clothing and ordered that some food be brought to her room—just a couple loaves of bread and some uncooked rice. The request was met with a strange look but compliance nonetheless. The food arrived just as Kaoru was pulling her hair up into a high ponytail; it couldn't get in the way as she traipsed through the woods.

The Princess smiled at the servant girl and took the food from her, thanking her politely; the girl bowed and left the chambers. Kaoru put the packages of rice in her bag with her clothes and wrapped the warm bread in the cloth napkins before adding it to her bag as well. The cook had been smart enough to send a bowl, which Kaoru also stashed in her now-full bag.

Sighing, Kaoru glanced around her elegant room for the last time. She shook her head, knowing she shouldn't think that way; her father wouldn't want her to be sad. She couldn't help it: this was her home, after all. Nodding to herself, she straightened her back before turning toward the door. She was about to open it when she hesitated. What if she met her step-mother in the corridors? How would she explain herself?

Pulling her hand away from the door, Kaoru turned back into the room, contemplating how to escape from her home. She muttered an "oh" as her eyes passed the door to her balcony. Again, the Princess nodded to herself and moved forward. She pushed open the doors and walked outside. She was met with a fresh smell and knew it was going to rain. Kaoru leaned over the rail to see just how far she had to go down.

Walking back into her room, Kaoru knew she had no choice but to go through the castle; the balcony was much too high and there was no other way. She took a deep breath before easing the door open. Creating a space just large enough, she slipped through and closed the door silently behind her. The young woman glanced quickly around before jogging quietly down the hall. She stopped at the end and listened for any signs of people. Finding none, Kaoru slipped into the shadows and made her way to the first flight of stairs.

The Princess continued her trek through the castle in the same manner. She had just reached the main doors and was pulling them open when she heard footsteps behind her. Kaoru froze, afraid of who it might be.

"And where do you think you're going?" Kaoru's heart skipped a beat as the shrill voice of her step-mother echoed off the walls. She quickly regained her senses and bolted out the door into the night. "Guards!" She heard the screech as she nearly flew across the grounds towards the forest. "Get her!" The shriek was quieter this time as Kaoru put more distance between herself and her previous home.

Kaoru could hear the yells of the guards as they pursued her. Knowing they were armed and faster that she was, Kaoru quickened her pace, hoping to reach the tree ling before they reached her; she would have a chance if she were able to hide amongst the trees. Luck was against her, however. Just as she dove into the forest, she was spotted by the guard in the lead. He yelled back to his comrades before following the Princess.

Weaving through the trees, Kaoru attempted to shake him off her trail, but he was on her heels in seconds. Again, she pushed herself to go faster, burning more energy than she wanted to; it had been a while since she ran so fast for such a long period of time.

Gasping for breath, she tried fleetingly to remember the way to the little house she had visited only once. Try as she may, she could only remember to head north. The forest grew denser as she continued and the guard gained on her. She glanced back and saw that the rest of the guards were beginning to catch up as well.

Without warning, Kaoru found herself falling forward. Pain shot through her arms and knees as she caught herself. Kaoru had barely landed when she was on her feet once more, turning to face the guard who had tripped her.

He stood before her, sword raised, waiting for her to move. Kaoru inched to her left, and he took the bait, lunging to stop her. She delivered a roundhouse kick to his cheekbone and took off running once more as he hit the ground; she knew the other guards would soon catch up. Quickly, the Princess dodged around a thick tree only to come face to face with another, bigger guard.

"Gotcha!" He dove forward to catch her, knocking her off her feet. She landed with a grunt and a large weight dropped on top of her, crushing the air from her lungs and causing her to see stars. The weight lifted, and Kaoru gulped in air. She shook her head, ridding her eyesight of the stars and started to roll out of the way. Before she could get very far, a rough hand grabbed her arm and jerked the Princess to her feet.

"No!" She swung her right hand in an uppercut and caught his jaw. The grip on her arm loosened enough, and she twisted away. She could feel his fingertips graze the back of her gi as she rounded another tree. Kaoru had to dodge more and more trees as she continued, and she felt her body starting to slow.

When Kaoru decided it was safe, she paused for a moment to try to catch her breath. Kaoru glanced around to get her bearings before she heard the crunch of leaves behind her. A second later, another person could be heard coming from her left. _For trained guards,_ she mused, _they sure aren't very quiet._ Before they tried to catch her, more people could be heard on her right and in front of her.

Too late, Kaoru realized her mistake. She was surrounded! The first two were only to distract her! All four men moved forward at the same time, each with his sword drawn. Kaoru took a defensive stance, knowing that, unarmed, she was at a major disadvantage. The Princess ran her eyes over the ground, attempting to pierce the darkness and find a stick that could serve as a bokken. She spotted one, but it was out of her reach. Kaoru considered lunging for it, but decided against it; the guards would he on her before she even touched the stick. Instead, she decided to wait until she could move closer.

The guard who seemed to be in charge smiled slightly as he noticed her defensive stance. He was not dumb; his Princess was trained in Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu, and he knew it. However, there were four of them and one of her. The only way she stood a chance was if she had a weapon. He gave a cry and lunged forward; the rest of the men followed suit.

Kaoru dodged the first blade and grasped the guard's arm. She swung him into the next guard using his own momentum. This left the other two, who hesitated at seeing two of their comrades taken down so easily. Each steeled his courage and leapt forward. However, by the time they reached Kaoru, she had the stick in her hands as a bokken.

It was too late for them to stop the attack. Kaoru knocked both blades out of the way, making sure to hit the flat sides before attacking one of the guards. He was unlucky enough to be hit in the neck and was unconscious before he hit the ground.

The last man standing began to back up until he noticed two of his friends lifting themselves from the ground. For all the work she had done, Kaoru had only effectively stopped one of her pursuers. Fatigue gnawed at her muscles as she continued to fight, swinging her bokken as hard as she could. One more man went down, also unconscious.

The group leader was one of the two men who now remained. He glanced at the other guard and nodded before lunging once more at Kaoru. The exertion was taking its toll on her body; her reaction time was slow and a katana stabbed her left arm. Blood seeped through her torn gi, and she pressed her right wrist against the wound, still holding her make-shift bokken.

The wound was deep, and she knew it was going to need medical attention. Deciding her best hope was to flee, Kaoru took off, dropping the stick. Her quick decision surprised the guards, and they did not react right away, giving Kaoru time to put as much distance between them as she could.

Kaoru's muscles cried out for rest, but she ignored the pain; if she stopped now, she would be caught for sure. Soon, she was unable to run as the trees grew closer together.

Blackness seeped into the edges of Kaoru's vision, and she nearly ran into several trees. Blood soaked the sleeve of her gi and rushed through the fingers of the hand she still held pressed to it.

Suddenly, the forest opened up in front of her and the battered Princess could see a quaint little house. The windows were dark, but her increasingly foggy mind recognized it. She paused at the edge of the clearing and squinted, trying to make sure it was real. Deciding it was, she staggered across the yard and up to the porch.

Kaoru fell heavily against the door and groped for the knob. Her hand landed on it, and she turned it quickly. The door flew open, and she fell into the house. The Princess shut the door absently and took two steps inside before collapsing to the floor, unconscious.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

I hope you liked it! I changed the chapter title because I'm not making it as long as I had originally planned. Please remember to review!


	2. Chapter 2

Suno-Shiro Part II

Sagara Sanosuke awoke with a start at the loud crash coming from downstairs. A quieter thump could be heard before he identified the first noise as the door slamming shut. Glancing to his left, he saw his housemate, a young boy by the name of Myojin Yahiko, had also woken up and was staring back at him.

Since he was already awake, the tall man rose from his futon and started silently for the stairs. His quiet footsteps were wasted on the dull thud the boy's feet made upon contact with each and every step as he followed Sanosuke down the stairs. The room at the base of the stairs was empty, except for a lantern which Sanosuke lit before continuing into the third—and last—room in the house.

Sanosuke paused at the doorway and looked carefully around the room. He frowned when his eyes passed a crumpled figure, lying motionless, on the floor. He crossed the room swiftly and set the lantern on the low table that was in the center. Cautiously stepping over the person, he crouched down, facing Yahiko.

"Who is he?" Yahiko asked, noticing the male clothing the person wore. Sano shrugged, showing he didn't know, and rolled the person onto his back.

"'He' is actually a 'she.'" Sanosuke said in surprise. "And she seems t'be hurt."

"What are we gonna do with her?" Yahiko asked; Sanosuke gave him instructions to bring bandages and a futon from upstairs. He brought the bandages first and then some water from the well outside before retrieving the futon. By the time the boy had it rolled out, the woman's wounds had been cared for; her only serious one was the stab wound in her upper arm that had caused all the blood.

"Now what?" Yahiko asked after Sano carefully moved their guest onto the mat. She had not woken up.

"Now we go back to bed and wait until morning." Sano said, standing and walking towards the stairs. Yahiko glanced once more at the young woman before following Sanosuke up the stairs.

When Kaoru woke up, it was to bright sunshine and the smell of food cooking. She squinted as her eyes adjusted to the light and tried to examine her surroundings. A sharp jolt of pain shot through her left arm as she rolled onto her left side; she hissed and returned to her back.

"How are you feeling?" an unfamiliar male voice asked. She jumped and another shot of pain went through her arm. Using her right hand, the Princess pushed herself into a seated position. Her whole body ached with the small effort.

"Who are you?" She softly asked, instead of answering his question. He chuckled quietly and turned toward her.

"I'm Sagara Sanosuke. Now, how're ya feelin'?"

"Fine." Kaoru answered, looking around nervously.

"I'll hafta check that bandage soon." Kaoru glanced down at hearing this and saw that her arm was neatly bandaged; the sleeve of her gi had been torn off and the blood washed from her arm and hands.

"Thank you, Sagara-san."

"Uh-uh." He said, shaking his head. "No '-san' for me. 'Sano' will do fine." She nodded. "Breakfast is almost done. You'll probably want to change. There are some gis the same size as yours upstairs." He checked her bandage before helping her to her feet and sending her towards the stairs. She paused at the doorway and turned back around.

"Does anyone else live here?"

"Yes." Sano replied. "Myojin Yahiko—you'll meet him in a little while—and Himura Kenshin."

"Kenshin…"she breathed.

"You know him?" Sano was surprised.

"Yes." She nodded. "I have for a long time."

"He's not here right now, but he'll be back in a couple of days. You're welcome t'stay."

"Thank you, Sano."

"No problem, Jou-chan." Kaoru bristled at the unfamiliar nickname.

"Kaoru." She said. "My name is Kamiya Kaoru." She turned and walked through the doorway without waiting for his reaction. Once at the base of the stairs, she looked up and saw that they seemed to be a mile high. Her body was oddly sore, but she ignored it and grasped the railing with her right hand. Once at the top, there was only one door which she pushed open to reveal a small bedroom.

The ceiling sloped at the far side, and there were two futons on the floor. There were also three wooden trunks sitting near the wall. Kaoru opened each until she found the one with the correct gis, into which she changed. Then, picking up her ruined gi, she sighed, and looked over the torn, bloody fabric. But now that she was at Kenshin's house, she didn't need his gi as a reminder of him. When the Princess returned to the kitchen, the futon she had used was rolled up against the wall and there was a young boy sitting with Sano at the table.

"Kamiya-san, breakfast is ready." Sano told her.

"Please, just call me Kaoru." She replied, sitting across from him at the table. "You must be Myojin Yahiko." She said to the boy. He had spiky dark hair and could have passed as Sano's brother.

"Yeah." He mumbled and dug into his food. When the meal was finished, Yahiko scampered off and Kaoru offered to help with the dishes. Sano refused and took them outside to a wash tub.

Kaoru took her chance to examine the room better. Like the rest of the house, it was relatively small, only big enough to fit a woodstove, the table, and her futon. She had only visited the house once, and she hadn't been inside, having only stayed briefly.

"We're going to cut some firewood." Sano told her as he put the dishes away. "You can come if you want or stay here." She decided she wanted to stay, and her hosts left, disappearing into the woods.

The quietness of the house settled around her. Kaoru was not used to this sort of silence: the castle had always been busy. Here, there was nothing for her to do, except sit. As she once again looked around the room, she noticed that it hadn't been cleaned in a long time. Attempting to distract herself, she busied herself with dusting.

The morning passed quickly, and the little house was soon spotless. By noon, she was finished and decided to make lunch. Just as she was finishing making the miso soup and rice, voices could be heard coming from the woods. Yahiko and Sano were apparently arguing about something.

"Yeah?" Yahiko yelled as the two walked in the door. "Well, you—" Both stopped their argument when they noticed the stench coming from the kitchen.

"What's that smell?" Sano demanded, looking around as if expecting to see something burning.

"Oh…um…" Kaoru stammered sheepishly. "I was trying to cook lunch. It didn't seem so hard, but…" She gestured to the ugly green liquid in the pot.

"I'm not eating _that!_" Yahiko said, backing up. After Yahiko was reassured several times that he didn't have to eat it, Sano decided to make lunch. The Princess' hosts spent the rest of the afternoon hauling firewood before returning to eat dinner, also made by Sano.

"Kenshin should be returnin' tomorrow. The kid—"

"I'm not a kid!"

"—and I'll be leaving early tomorrow morning to finish the firewood. I'll leave breakfast out for ya." Kaoru nodded and her hosts went upstairs to bed. Her futon had been moved to the second room.

Just as they had said they would be, Sano and Yahiko were gone when Kaoru woke up. She found breakfast sitting on the table and ate it before taking her dish to the wash bin outside and cleaning it.

Putting away the dishes, Kaoru heard voices around midday, but these definitely did not belong to a boy and a young man; they were quiet and rough. Kaoru quickly recognized them as belonging to a pair of castle guards. Panic flowed through her body, and she quickly lifted the broom from its place against the wall. At least this time, she would start with a weapon.

The voices quieted as the front door opened, and Kaoru moved swiftly into the second room. She heard the door creak open, and muffled footsteps crossed the floor. When the first man entered the room, Kaoru whipped the broom handle down and struck him on the back of the head. She began to lift the broom to strike at the other man, but pain shot through her left arm. The broom was much too heavy to wield with one hand, and her left arm was now useless.

"Nice try, Kamiya-san." The guard laughed, advancing on her. "I guess there was a reason for Her Majesty to send two of us." Kaoru suddenly felt wetness on her arm and looked down to find blood seeping through the bandage; she had reopened her wound.

"What do you want?" Kaoru asked, backing away.

"I don't want anything, but Her Majesty wants you to never return."

"Well, I don't plan on it. You can tell her that." She had backed as far as she could go.

"No, I have my orders." The guard pulled a cloth and a small bottle from his gi. He poured a liquid on the cloth and sprung forward, dropping the bottle. Kaoru dodged to her left, but the guard caught her left arm and _squeezed._ The Princess cried out in pain and found herself smothered by the odd-smelling rag.

Dizziness clouded her mind, and she lost sensation in her arms and legs. Kaoru slid to the floor, as she lost the ability to stand. Her cries were muffled by the cloth and in her panic, she didn't think to hold her breath. The last thing she saw was Sano appearing in the doorway, before she passed out.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

Here's the second part! There's only one or twomore to go. My plans changed from my original version, and only the first chapter has remained the same. Thanks for the reviews! I hope you all didn't forget about me!


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